Clad in the Darkness: The Story of Golbez
by Lord Jareth
Summary: Updated, after a while, with a short, lighthearted chapter. Um, not really, but... just read it. You know you want to.
1. The Beginning

Clad in the Darkness: The Story of Golbez  
  
  
Pointless Legal Disclaimer that I have to have  
  
  
I don't own Final Fantasy. Wish I did, but don't. Sucks for me. I don't own Golbez, or   
any of the characters mentioned in this story. Not Zemus, the Four Emperors or anybody.   
Point blank, whatever. I have, however, taken a number of creative liberties on their   
personalities, as the game gives us zero about them. They are all copyright Squaresoft. So   
please don't sue me. I do need to eat now and then.  
  
  
  
Part 1  
  
  
  
"You may take my life, but you will never touch my legacy and all I have worked   
toward," the ever-heroic KluYa gasped. "Never. It lies in my sons… they are my legacy,   
and they'll carry on my work after I am gone. You cannot touch them, nor corrupt them   
with your evil ways."  
  
"Shut up." Zemus hissed. "Your fancy words don't frighten me. Fight like the man you   
know you are not!" muttering words under his breath, Zemus gathered his energy   
together and cast Flare. KluYa gasped as the energy seared his already weakened flesh.  
  
"Your sons were not born pure. They have human blood." Zemus sneered. "One will   
follow in your footsteps… and die in them. The other will follow mine." He laughed and   
struck at KluYa with his hand, a gesture of contempt. "I was always different from you,   
KluYa." A hollow, rattling sound echoed from his throat. KluYa winced at the horrible   
sound, and grimaced as he realized that Zemus was laughing. "In fact, I don't even know   
why I'm telling you all of this. It's none of your fucking business, is it?"  
  
KluYa winced. "Must you be so crude, Zemus?"  
  
"You're changing the subject, KluYa. I can speak however I like." He struck KluYa   
again and spat in his face, then flung him back into a proper battle, charging up what   
appeared to be a high-level Bolt spell.  
  
KluYa responded with Reflect, causing Zemus' Bolt—what level of magic it was at was   
impossible to tell.  
  
KluYa's sons watched the battle with interest and horror. Golbez, a boy of nine, stood at   
the window of the cottage that they lived in. His younger brother Cecil, who could barely   
walk, leaned on Golbez as they watched the fight.  
  
"Fight him," Golbez whispered. "You can win. You have to." Sweat poured from his   
brow. He seemed to be suffering as much as his father.  
  
"I grow weary of this," Zemus said lazily. "The game is over, KluYa. Endure your death   
with dignity, like you do everything else. Your pathetic Reflect bought you a couple of   
minutes, so say goodbye to your little boys. Ultimate magic of War, magic of black, ruler   
of dreams and nightmares, destroy the illusion he is living. Annihilate his existence.   
Eradicate his memories. Obliterate his very soul! METEO!"   
  
The spell tore the land they stood on apart. What little vegetation had been spared by   
their duel was incinerated. Where flat land had once been, there were mountains and   
valleys. Where forests had been, there were deserts. Everything was reversed for and   
instant as every bit of Zemus' energy was channeled into the spell.  
  
Cecil was thrown into the air as the explosion rocked everything he knew as the world.   
He was knocked out cold instantly and was carried away by some mystical force. Golbez,   
wide-eyed with terror, watched Zemus descend upon him.  
  
"Don't worry, my boy…" Zemus' hollow voice said, almost beseechingly. "You will be   
alright… that is, I trust you are wiser than your father."  
  
Golbez trembled with fear. The soulless voice was so empty, so terrifying. "I can't go   
with you! You killed my father! I hate you!"  
  
"You don't really hate me, Golbez…" his voice was so horrible. So empty. And yet   
strangely comforting…   
  
"No! NO! I hate you! You killed my dad! I won't let you take me!"  
  
"You don't have much of a choice, Golbez." The voice was becoming easier to hear. Not   
quite so awful, or hard on the ears, or the mind.  
  
"Who'll take care of my brother?" Golbez was desperate now.  
  
"He will be seen to. Come with me."  
  
"I…" Golbez tried to resist, but he felt sleep stealing over him. Warm, comforting sleep,   
away from his dead mother and father and his orphaned brother, even away from the man   
who'd caused all of this to happen. Sleep came and saved him… or so he thought.  
  
The last thing KluYa saw, as the life faded from his eyes, was Zemus' retreating form…   
carrying the body of an unconscious Golbez.  
  
  
Some time later………  
  
  
Golbez opened his eyes. He was lying on a bed of some sort. He was not restrained, but   
could not move.  
  
"Where… am I?" he croaked uneasily. "What happened? I can't remember anything…"  
  
"I am Zemus." Zemus told him. "This is my castle. Are you sure you can remember   
nothing?"  
  
"Well…" Golbez thought a moment. "My name. My name is Golbez. But that is all. Do   
you know what happened to me, master Zemus?"  
  
"You were tricked into living a lie," Zemus told the boy. "It is just as well you don't   
remember. It would be too painful for you. You are lucky I found you before it was too   
late.  
  
"I need someone to help me with my business," Zemus continued. "That is why I brought   
you here. Do you think that you will be able to help me?"  
  
"Yes," Golbez said in the most determined and serious voice he could muster. "I am the   
one that you seek."  
  
Zemus smiled, a strange action for one like him. "You don't need to sound so serious,   
Golbez," he said, trying to make his words sound more gentle than the harsh scraping that   
normally served him as a voice. "I know that I can trust you." A subconscious touch to   
the mind… setting in the seeds of dark magic…  
  
"I'm glad," Golbez replied, "Don't ask how I know this, but you're the first person who   
ever trusted me."  
  
Zemus smiled. His power was already going to work. "Training will not be easy, son," he   
said softly, "At times you may want to give up. That will not be a surprising factor, but   
you must dedicate yourself to this task. With your help, I can cleanse the world of its   
blight.  
  
"We'll start with simple spells, of course. You can't start at the top, of course. Even one   
as great as I didn't."  
  
"Even you…?"   
  
"Even me, son."  
  
"You called me 'son'…"  
  
"You're like a son to me, Golbez. I can teach you to be strong. I will help you build a   
new world out of the ashes of the old one. And you will help me to make it so. Is that   
agreeable?"  
  
"Absolutely, master Zemus."  
  
  
Voice-over  
  
  
Zemus trained me well. That's all I can, and will, say for him. I don't like him. I really   
don't. I won't pretend I will, even for a second, but he trained me well. I'll give him that   
much. He taught me everything I know about fighting and magic—which is a lot… and   
he also taught me everything I know about diplomacy and kindness and all of those other   
stupid emotional and social things—which is next to nothing, if not actually there.  
  
He took the boy Golbez, half-human, half-Lunarian and turned him into a block of ice.   
Froze out every bit of kindness, compassion and human weakness. Then he took that   
block of ice and carved it into the perfect right-hand man for the task he had set before   
himself. He took that right-hand man and chiseled him to be even finer… polished him   
and refined him until there were no chinks left in his armor, and no chances of anyone—  
literally—managing to look him in the face and live to brag about it.  
  
He gave this right-hand man powers that no decent human would want, need, or use. He   
gave that right-hand man minions of many a kind… the four Emperors of the Elements…   
so many foot soldiers, useless soldiers, meaningless soldiers to die by the thousands for   
him. And, perhaps worst of all, he gave his right-hand man the ability to destroy the   
minds of anyone. He could make any of them his slave, destroy the sense of right and   
wrong, everything except undying loyalty to their Master… Golbez. Me.  
  
I feel awful when I think of all that I did… all that I destroyed, how many lives I ended or   
ruined… far too many to count. Isn't it terrible? Of course it is. It doesn't take a fool to   
see that. Even a total idiot could, and that isn't how I'd describe myself. I'm a lot of   
things, but not stupid. But here I am, standing here, awake after my age-old sleep,   
wanting to tell my story, wanting to be able to pull some sort of knowledge from it… and   
maybe even to be forgiven.  
  



	2. Conquest of the Overworld

Approximately 20 years later…  
  
  
The conquest of the Earth was beginning. Slowly, surely, terribly, it was starting. And at   
the head of it, was me. Lord Golbez. Second only to Master Zemus. Naturally, there   
weren't many people who even knew about Zemus. They thought that it was for Master   
Golbez. How I love the feeling of power.  
  
"Come to me, my Four Emperors," I murmured. A smirk crossed my face… they were at   
my beck and call, these powerful warriors.  
  
Four flashes of light, a roar of stone, a swirl of water, a gust of wind and a flare of fire   
later, the Four Emperors were standing before me.   
  
The smallest of the four, who was surrounded by rocks and gravel from his teleport spell   
glared quite bitterly at me as he wrapped his cloak tighter around his skinny body. "What   
do you want, Golbez?"  
  
I regarded him coolly. "You still don't like answering to me, do you Scarmiglione?   
You're the weakest of the Four Emperors, and you're the one who always questions my   
commands, like I should thank you for listening."  
  
Scarmiglione spat at my feet, as the other three looked on disapprovingly. "You still   
haven't proven to me that you even deserve obedience. You can't be that strong. You're   
just a stupid human."  
  
"That's not important. I'm second only to Master Zemus, that's all you need to know." I   
clenched a fist behind my back. Scarmiglione was really getting to me. He shouldn't   
have, and that made me angry at myself as well as him. "Rubicant?"  
  
"Yes?" the flame man replied coolly, smoothing his cape.  
  
"Is young Scarmiglione's insubordination tolerable by your opinion?"  
  
"Of course not. He was assigned to your control by Master Zemus, and must follow   
orders given by you unless he has a solid reason to doubt your competence, which he   
does not have at the given time. To disobey you without proper grounding and reasoning   
would be to question the judgment of Master Zemus himself."  
  
"Barbaricia, do you agree?"  
  
"Of course." The blonde sniffed disapprovingly, wrinkling her nose. "Scarmiglione is   
still young. He doesn't know what he's talking about."  
  
"Cagnazzo?" I arched an eyebrow at the turtle-demon from behind my mask. "Anything   
to add?"  
  
"Scarmiglione is an idiot," Cagnazzo said in a bored tone, poking his head out of his   
thick carapace. "And I think we should kill him if he doesn't shape up pretty soon.   
Doesn't that sound nice?"  
  
Rubicant and Barbaricia both nodded.   
  
"Well then," I said succinctly, "That's settled. Scarmiglione, shape up or you're dead.   
Don't worry, we'll give you all the time in the world."  
  
He glared at me, but said nothing.  
  
"I suppose you're wondering why I've called you all here today," I sneered, still looking   
at Scarmiglione. "The answer to that is that we need to gather the Elemental Crystals,   
both light and dark. The best tools for that purpose would be humans. At the current time,   
a country called Baron is the world's top military power. I want one of you to off the king   
and use his air force—which is called the Red Wings—to gather the Crystals of Light.   
The process of gathering the Crystals of Darkness will be much easier with that over and   
done."  
  
I scanned the four Emperors: Scarmiglione was still sullen and defiant, Cagnazzo looked   
like a soldier who had just been dismissed from the day's drills and Barbaricia and   
Rubicant looked merely bored. "Cagnazzo, I would like you to take the place of the King   
of Baron."  
  
"Yes, sir." With a flash of light and a swirl of water, Cagnazzo was gone.  
  
"The rest of you may leave." The remaining Emperors left without a word, and I was   
alone again. I sat back in a chair and surveyed my room for what must have been the   
sixth time that day. My plan required a given amount of waiting on my part and I was   
growing bored with it already.  
  
I was, however, almost surprised that the young Scarmiglione hadn't asked why I'd   
wanted to gather the Crystals. It was exactly the type of question that he would normally   
ask. I supposed the other Emperors were getting to him. He still didn't respect me, that   
was painfully obvious.  
  
I sighed and reached for a decanter on the table by my chair. I poured a glass of whatever   
clear beverage was in it into a glass and took a sip. A slow smile spread across my face.   
200 proof vodka. I'd be stark raving drunk on a glass or two of this. Better than anyone   
else could do—it would most likely kill them. How proud I am of myself. And what a   
stupid thing to be proud of. There was no room for failure in this, and thus no time to get   
drunk. I didn't care.  
  
I downed the remainder of the glass in three swigs and poured another one, which I   
downed in four. Then a third glass. I lost track of how many swallows it took me… my   
vision began to blur and my hands shook, but I poured another glass and drank it. One   
more… I took a sip.  
  
The glass fell from my hands and shattered on the hard crystal floor. I barely even heard   
the sound of the breaking glass. I flopped back and closed my eyes for a short nap. I   
heard blood rushing in my ears, and a sickly sort of hum that was most likely the crystals   
vibrating… they were magical, after all.  
  
Finally, I fell asleep. I dreamed of pink airships and goblins eating donuts by the   
hundreds. Then I was jolted awake, quite suddenly. The vodka must have had a more   
powerful effect than I'd thought it would have. Well, I had drunk… how many glasses? I   
couldn't remember. I was so tired, but my stomach was roiling. With all the energy I   
could muster, I pushed back the visor of my helmet, turned my head and vomited into the   
small wastebasket by my bed.  
  
I fell asleep again, and again I was jolted awake, this time by some telepathic message   
beamed into my head.  
  
Permission to speak to you, Master Golbez? It was Cagnazzo. Why was he getting   
back to me so soon?  
  
Permission granted. My head was clearer now than it had been, the vodka must have   
worn off. Why are you getting back to me so soon?  
  
So soon? Cagnazzo's mind-voice sounded puzzled. Master Golbez, it's been two   
weeks.  
  
Oh. I guess I really had been drunk. Report on your progress so far.  
  
The Baronian king is dead, and I have assumed his form. The Red Wings air force of   
the country is under the control of a man named Cecil Harvey, who wields the Dark   
Sword. He is now headed toward Mysidia, to collect the Water Crystal, the first of the   
Elemental Crystals that we will take possession of. He sounded almost proud of his   
work.  
  
Cecil Harvey… for a moment, the name sounded a bit familiar, like the name of a   
childhood friend that had long been forgotten. Of course, I had no childhood friends, but   
that was the kind of vague memory that it was to me. I shook the thought from my head.   
Thinking like that was inexcusably stupid.  
  
Good work, I said shortly. I need sleep now, Cagnazzo, so leave me, but report any   
progress or potential threats. The Summoners of Mist are also a threat to us, as they   
possess great power. Wipe them out as well.  
  
As you wish, sir. With that, Cagnazzo closed the link between us.  
  
I poured myself a glass of water, took a sleeping pill and lay back on my bed, to wait   
some more. again I drifted off to sleep, but this time I had no dreams. Nothing but the   
sweet darkness that enveloped every last part of me, and numbed the pain of my   
hangover, the boredom of my waiting, the bitterness of everything around me, nothing   
but darkness…  
  
I awoke early the next morning to sunlight reflecting off the crystal walls. It was warm on   
my face, and, despite the irritating things about it, I pulled off my helmet—why had I   
slept in my helmet?—and let the sunbeams fall across my pallid face. I felt a twinge of   
bitterness, followed by another of… something else. Wait… it was hunger. I was hungry.   
I snapped my fingers and sent a sting of magic through the crystal walls and floors,   
calling for a servant.  
  
A girl came into the room, minutes later. She was about sixteen, by the look of her. I   
scanned her once, then lay down on my bed again. "You're late."  
  
She shivered and stared at the crystal floor. "I'm sorry, Master."  
  
I glared at her for a moment, then sighed. "At least you know what you're doing. I'm   
hungry, girl. Get me something to eat, I don't care what. And get me some coffee too,   
I've got a god-awful hangover."  
  
"Yes, sir." She scuttled out of the room.  
  
I lounged back and brushed my hair out of my eyes. What color was my hair? I didn't   
know. I hadn't seen it in so long, since I was always wearing that helmet. It felt strange to   
be out of it. I didn't like the feeling, but for the sake of experience I kept it off.  
  
The girl came back quickly, carrying a tray. She put it down on the table next to my bed   
and started to leave the room as quietly as she could. I still heard her. I even saw her put   
the tray down. "I didn't say you could leave," I told her quietly.  
  
She froze, then turned slowly to face me.  
  
"Tell me something, girl." I narrowed my eyes. "What color is my hair?"  
  
She blinked. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"You heard me, girl. What color is my hair?"  
  
"Black?"  
  
"Is that a statement or a question? Are you colorblind?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"No, you're not colorblind, or no, that isn't a statement or a question?"  
  
"I'm not colorblind, sir."  
  
"So my hair is black."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
My eyes lost a touch of their narrowness. "So what color are my eyes then?"  
  
"I don't know sir."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I've never seen them, sir."  
  
"So look into my eyes and tell me what color they are," I snapped.  
  
She looked up, fearful. "Blue, sir."  
  
"Excellent." I smiled a cruel, oily smile. "What does my face look like?"  
  
"What do you mean sir?"  
  
"Am I handsome, do you think?"  
  
"Y-yes, Master Golbez."   
  
I gripped a dagger in my hand, keeping it concealed. "Come here, girl." She did. "You've   
seen my face, girl. You know what I look like."  
  
"Y-yes?"  
  
"I can't allow that to get out." I whipped the dagger from its hiding place and pointed it at   
her. "You must die now."  
  
Her eyes widened, and she tried to back away from me, but she'd been totally paralyzed   
with fear. "W-why?"  
  
I smiled at her again, still cruelly. "I think you know the answer to that now."  
  
She glared at me suddenly with the resolve of a soldier with nothing left to fight for. "Do   
you even know my name, Golbez? Do you even know who I am?"  
  
"That's enough," I snapped. My wrist flicked and the dagger slashed through the girl's   
throat. Her body froze for a split second, then the last of the life faded from her eyes and   
her body dropped to the floor.  
  
I turned my attention to the tray the girl had brought up with her. It was a good spread…   
if she'd put it together herself she would have been an almost serious loss from my staff.   
I shrugged. It wasn't like there was any less than an abundant supply of humans.  
  
I picked up a biscuit from the tray and bit into it. The flavor of butter and sugar filled my   
mouth. Delicious. I washed it down with a swig of wine. It was good wine, and sweet.   
The aroma wafted up from the decanter to fill my nostrils. I put it back on the tray… that   
was dessert wine, not a drink for the middle of a meal. Besides, I'd had enough alcohol to   
last me a good while.  
  
There was beer on the tray to drink during the meal—more alcohol—and a broiled   
steak… medium rare. I picked up the knife and fork and cut a piece off of it. The meat   
cut easily under the knife's edge. I put it in my mouth and chewed. It was good meat…   
one of the best parts of this job was the food. I picked up a large covered mug and took a   
swig of its contents. Coffee. Delicious really, but I needed food more than I needed   
caffeine.  
  
But I wasn't hungry. I hadn't exerted myself enough. I hadn't done anything but eat and   
sleep and drink for the past few weeks. I touched my face. It felt like a skull. Maybe I   
was handsome, but I could have been much more so if I'd taken care of myself…  
  
No! What was I thinking? Why am I thinking like this? I can't! It's a sign of weakness! I   
slammed my head against the crystal wall. I felt so stupid. Not at all like I was supposed   
to think and feel. Not at all. I kept banging my head against the wall. Stupid stupid stupid.   
  
I felt bruises forming on my head, and stopped banging my head against the wall to look   
in the mirror. Purplish bruises were forming across my forehead. I shrugged and put my   
helmet back on… it felt so much better that way. I felt myself breathing easier. You'd   
think my helmet was addictive or something. Oh well.  
  
Permission to speak, Master Golbez? Cagnazzo was back. Again.  
  
"I don't really have a choice," I muttered. Permission granted. Report.  
  
The Dark Knight Cecil Harvey has shown disloyalty to my operations. I believe he may   
suspect me. I have sent him, accompanied by the Dragon Knight Cain to deliver the   
Bomb Ring to Mist. They may be a threat to us, especially if they get past the dragon   
guarding Mist, but they will either die or wipe out the Summoners.  
  
Good. I assume that you have the Water Crystal.  
  
You are correct in that assumption, Master Golbez. The fleet is being mobilized soon to   
take the Fire Crystal from Damcyan, then the Wind Crystal of Fabul. We will save   
Toroia's Earth Crystal for last, as the country is the best defended and the Red Wings will   
need all of the experience they can get. Cagnazzo's voice sounded a bit stiff.  
  
Stress getting to you, Cagnazzo? I asked him lightly.   
  
Yes, sir. I am feeling stressed. A mental sigh touched me, then was retracted. It's   
very tiring, working like this. I don't know how you manage it.  
  
If you must know, it's easier on me, with all of these people to serve me. You're doing   
very well, Cagnazzo. You should get some rest, you sound tired.  
  
Thank you, sir. And he was gone.  
  



	3. Intent to Kill

The man named Cecil had survived taking the ring to the village of Mist. The Dragon   
Knight had seen to that. They had made it to Mist, the BombRing had activated itself and   
destroyed the city. Cecil… was headed for the Oasis village, Kaipo. Cain… was lying   
before me, unconscious. My Four Emperors—excluding Cagnazzo, as he was in Baron—  
stood behind me, silent as I watched the young man's silent form.  
  
"So…" Scarmiglione spoke. "What are we going to do with him?"  
  
"I haven't decided yet." I sighed. "He's an ally of that Dark Knight, so by all means we   
should kill him. Zemus wouldn't be pleased with me if I left a potential threat alive.   
Don't you agree?"  
  
"Yeah, I agree," Scarmiglione said slightly obnoxiously. "Can I kill him?"  
  
"Don't kill him." Barbaricia spoke up. "Don't you think he could be useful?"  
  
I turned to look at Barbaricia. "You never give me advice without your own ulterior   
motives, Barbaricia." I sighed. "Why do you want this man left alive? And why do you   
think he could be useful?"  
  
"We're both creatures of the sky," Barbaricia said, her voice frosting slightly. "I have my   
reasons for everything."  
  
"I know that very well, Empress of the Sky," I murmured.  
  
"He's a strong man. He proved that by defeating the Mist Dragon." Rubicant shrugged   
his shoulders and adjusted his long cape. "She may be on to something here."  
  
"He had the assistance of the Dark Knight."  
  
"The Dark Sword is not too strong when it comes to the Phantom Warriors," Rubicant   
said pointedly. "Let the man live. Barbaricia is right, he may be of some use, even if he is   
but a weak human."  
  
"Scarmiglione?" I arched an eyebrow for nobody to see. "What do you think?"  
  
"I guess they have a point." Scarmiglione stared at the floor. He'd been looking forward   
to killing this human… Cain, the Dragon Knight. Yes, he'd make a nice little minion for   
me.   
  
"Excellent. I'll keep him then. You are dismissed." The Emperors left.  
  
I turned my attention back to the man lying on a slab table of crystal. I sent power   
flowing through the table. Slowly I dragged the man's mind to the surface of him and   
sank my teeth into it—metaphorically speaking. I spread tendrils of darkness into his very   
soul, banishing all that was good and light within him to deep beneath the surface,   
controlling his mind into making him nothing but my man, my minion… my slave.  
  
He awoke in the middle, still not fully under my control. "Who are you? What do you   
want with me?"  
  
"I need a minion, Cain. A right-hand man, you might say. I'm out to conquer the world."  
  
"Why the hell should I help you? You're a twisted old bastard if you're going to do   
something like that. I'm not helping you. Let me out of here."  
  
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Cain."  
  
"And how do you know my name?"  
  
"It's pretty clear I'm the one in charge here, isn't it Cain?"  
  
"You haven't answered my questions."  
  
"Because I don't have to." I smirked at him. "I suggest you listen to what I have to say, as   
it may spare your miserable life… which you already owe to the Empress of the Sky,   
Barbaricia. She is the one who persuaded me to let you live… on the pretext that you'd   
be useful. Do you want to disappoint my faith in her?"  
  
"I don't care any more about her than I do about you, old bastard!" Cain glared at me and   
tried to get up, but couldn't. I'd frozen his body to the slab. "I won't help you and that's   
final! I have to help Cecil defeat King Baron and restore the proper way of things to the   
world."  
  
"I can help you accomplish that."  
  
"I don't know what your motives are, other than total control. You're probably worse   
than King Baron!"   
  
I chuckled. "You're right, I probably am. But I'm not giving you a choice, Cain." With   
that, I sealed the good, kind, loyal, moral Cain within himself, and left nothing but the   
ruthless man who would do anything to see what he believed to be right carried out. "You   
will serve me."  
  
The determined, loyal, fierce light left his eyes, along with the kindness they had held   
when he spoke of his friend. "All right. I'll help you."  
  
"Good little man," I told him. "The Red Wings are on their way to Damcyan for the Fire   
Crystal. They'll collect that… then I think the two of us will make a little appearance at   
Fabul… doesn't that sound nice?"  
  
"Cecil should be there, with all his sense of right and good," Cain said bitterly. "Going to   
try to protect Fabul's crystal as soon as he finds out what's going on. He will find out,   
won't he?"  
  
"He will find out," I said quietly. "The Prince of Damcyan has heard of my quest…   
though how he knows I do not. He will find Cecil and tell him about me… yes, your   
friend Cecil will know what is happening, and will try to come to the aid of Fabul."  
  
"Knowing Rosa, she'll be there too," he continued, barely hearing what I'd said. A   
glimmer of lust sparkled in his eyes as he spoke of the girl Rosa. "I'd like to keep her if   
that doesn't bother you."  
  
"We will see."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
I released Cain from his bonds. "You will find your room. We must wait now."  
  
Cain left, a slight smirk on his face.  
  
We have the Fire Crystal, Master Golbez. Cagnazzo again.  
  
Good work. You're going very fast. Any other news?  
  
Some old man has sworn to get revenge on you for what you've done. I think his   
daughter died in the attack.  
  
Did you get the man's name?  
  
I'm afraid not, Master Golbez. I apologize for lacking thoroughness in my operations.  
  
That is not a problem. We will manage. I sighed bitterly. Inform me of the progress   
of the Dark Knight. Tell me, say, when you reach Fabul. I do believe that he will try to   
thwart your taking the crystal, and I believe his friend Cain would like to see him again.  
  
As you wish, sir. Cagnazzo closed the link. He wasn't a very talkative person, I'd   
noticed. So much the better.  
  
We waited… again. I spent more time in my laboratory with Cain and some select   
scientists. They enhanced his body and mind with a twisted combination of science and   
Dark Magic, so that he would be virtually invincible so long as he remained loyal to   
me… which he was, of course. Cain had forgotten why Cecil was his friend, forgotten   
why he had cared for the man.  
  
All he knew was that Cecil was all that stood between him and his beloved Rosa. It was   
so easy for me to manipulate his emotions to do to him what so much else would not.   
And now my minion Cain would kill the Dark Knight Cecil… of his own free will. How I   
longed to see the look on the man's face as his best friend struck him down as he still   
wondered.  
  
Finally, the day came. The Red Wings were ready, Cecil and his allies were in Fabul and   
the military there was depleted. Perfect. Cecil was strong… he'd gotten past many, many   
obstacles. That Rosa Cain had mentioned was an accomplished White Mage. He was   
accompanied by the prince of Damcyan—a bard, of all the pathetic things he could be—  
and a Fabul karate master.  
  
And there was that Summoner. They had let a Summoner survive the attack on Mist. It   
was rather amusing, when you thought about it. If he were still loyal to the non-existent   
king of Baron, he'd have gone back… and been punished for not succeeding in the   
assigned task. But as things were…  
  
Cain and I boarded the head airship, taking positions in the cabin, so as not to be seen.   
The ships flew through the sky, darkening the world with the cruelty they practically   
radiated. The Fabul castle loomed into view. One by one, the many soldiers—human and   
otherwise—dropped on to the premises, hurling explosives and burning oil into the castle   
as they fell.  
  
We could see Cecil and his allies fighting our soldiers, standing firm even as the Fabul   
soldiers fell at their feet. Those who remained on the airships began to fire more   
explosives at the castle, forcing them to retreat inside. Some small groups of troops   
followed them, including one soldier, a Domovoy, who disguised himself as one of   
Fabul's soldiers. He opened the door and let our soldiers in.  
  
Cecil killed them as well. Despite how I despised him, as he was an enemy, I respected   
his strength. It was, however, simply one more incentive to kill him. He would most   
certainly be a threat.   
  
Cain and I approached the room where the crystal and Cecil were, along with their other   
allies. "You may go first, Cain. Catch them off their guard… they aren't expecting you to   
have been disillusioned."  
  
"Yes, sir." Cain strode purposefully into the room. I looked into the room, watched what   
he did, and heard him speak. "It's been a while, hasn't it Cecil?"  
  
"Cain!" the Dark Knight cried, overjoyed to see his friend. "You're alive!"  
  
Cain regarded him coldly. "So it would appear."  
  
"Fight with us!" Cecil cried. "We need your help!"  
  
"Surely I will fight." Cain smirked. "But against you, Cecil."  
  
"What?" Cecil's face fell, and he stepped back, looking afraid. "What are you talking   
about?"  
  
"I challenge you to fight me, Cecil. Single combat. Now!" he lunged forward, spear high.  
  
"No! I won't fight you!" Cecil took another step back. "What's wrong, Cain?"  
  
Cain didn't reply, but leapt into the air, then crashed down on Cecil, the weight of his   
armor and the point of his spear wounding the man grievously. "Heh…" he said coldly.   
"Got you, Cecil. You're going to die now, Cecil."  
  
"You… you're under Golbez's…"  
  
"What? His control? I don't think so." Cain smirked. "I'll put you out of your misery,   
Cecil. It's the least I can do for an old friend."  
  
"No!" cried the karate master. "You can't!"  
  
"No!" cried a voice. Two girls rushed into the room. One was the green-haired   
Summoner, the other could be none other than Cain's dear Rosa.  
  
Cain did a double take. "R-Rosa?" he stammered.  
  
"Why you little—!" Rosa left her sentence hanging.   
  
Cain glared. "Don't even look at me, Rosa.!"  
  
I took this as my cue, and entered the room. "Why are you so upset, Cain?"  
  
"Golbez!" the bard gasped.  
  
"So you're Golbez…" Cecil glared vehemently at me.  
  
"And you're Cecil…" I smirked. "How pleased I am to meet you, though I doubt the   
feeling's mutual." I threw out a bolt of energy at the men and flung them to the edges of   
the room, leaving a clear path between Cain, myself, and the crystal. "But that's enough   
of that. Take the crystal, Cain."  
  
"Yes, master." He could have said more, but I suppose it was for effect. He walked up to   
the crystal's stand, but paused.  
  
"No, Cain!" Rosa called to him with the last of her energy. "Don't do it!"  
  
"Don't do it," Cecil added. "Please Cain… you don't really want to follow Golbez, do   
you?"  
  
I looked over at Rosa. "She's important to you, isn't she Cecil?"   
  
Cecil said nothing, but his eyes screamed "Of course!"  
  
"Very well." I picked her up and held her tightly. "We will meet again, Cecil Harvey. I'll   
take your darling Rosa as proof of that. Come, Cain. Take the crystal and leave. We have   
no time for these… people."  
  
I left. Cain seized the crystal and followed me, but stopped by Cecil. "You had a pretty   
narrow escape there, Cecil my boy. Next time you might not be so lucky."  
  



	4. A Paladin... for dinner, soon. I hope.

"So," I said to Cain. "Your old friend Cecil wants to climb the legendary Mount Ordeals.   
What do you think of that?" We had relocated to the Tower of Zott, which was decidedly   
less comfortable than my old house of crystal, but business is business.  
  
"I think he's an idiot." Cain sighed. "He's probably going to die in the process of   
climbing the fucking mountain."  
  
"You may be right, but if he gets assistance from others who can fight the undead, the   
fact that he carries the Dark Sword will be of little consequence. If he makes it to the top   
of the mountain, he must be killed before he is stripped of the armor of the Dark Knight   
and becomes a Paladin. If he succeeds, he will be even more of a threat than he is   
already."  
  
"Let me be the one to kill him, Master." Cain seemed eager all of a sudden.  
  
"Why should I?" I snapped. "You had your chance to kill Cecil, but you went soft   
because of your precious Rosa!"  
  
Cain winced. "I—I'm sorry."  
  
"You'd better be sorry," I snarled. "You're pathetic, Cain. You very nearly risked our   
operation for that." I gestured toward Rosa, looking disgusted. "You could have had her   
regardless. But now… I have other plans."  
  
"O-other plans, master?"  
  
"You'll have to wait for a piece of the precious Rosa. Cecil is alive, and he'll want her   
back… whole." I stared down at Cain, with a slightly bitter, sadistic look in my eyes.   
"You'll have to keep your roaming hands off her, Cain…"  
  
"Yes, sir. Now… about Cecil?"  
  
"Of course… come, Scarmiglione!"  
  
Scarmiglione appeared before us, his tattered white cloak grimy. "You called, Master   
Golbez"  
  
"Yes, I did." I leaned back against the wall. "The Dark Knight Cecil is climbing Mount   
Ordeals. He wants to become a Paladin."  
  
"I'm not sure I quite follow you. How does this involve me?"  
  
"Kill him before he can become a Paladin. There is a house of light at the top… that will   
strip away the essence of darkness inside him. Kill him before he gets that far,   
Scarmiglione. If you don't…"  
  
"I can imagine what will happen to me if I fail, Master Golbez. I am very aware of the   
weight this job carries, and I'm honored that you've selected me to carry it out. I will die   
at the hands of the Dark Knight before I retreat… but I will not die."  
  
"Glad to hear that you've finally deemed me worthy of your support," I sneered.  
  
"I have seen what you can do and I believe strongly that I was mistaken in my first   
impression of you. You are a lethal fighter and a more than competent leader. I was an   
idiot. You don't need to tell me that."  
  
"Good, it would be a waste of my breath." I tossed an amulet to him. "Take that and wear   
it. It'll keep you alive if he manages to kill you."  
  
"What does it do?"  
  
"It'll resurrect you. Once. If he kills you once, it'll bring you back… stronger than   
before. But it only works once. So if he kills you a second time… you're dead,   
Scarmiglione, and there's nothing I or anyone else can do it, save going to the Realm of   
the Dead to get you back… which isn't worth it, if you die at his hands."  
  
"I understand, Master Golbez. I won't fail you."  
  
"Glad to hear it. Go and prepare yourself."  
  
He left.  
  
"So Scarmiglione will kill Cecil then?" Cain leaned back and looked at me. "Is that it?"  
  
"It should be… if all goes well." I stared at him, my eyes boring a metaphorical hole in   
his skull. "Otherwise, you may very well get the privilege of watching Cecil die. I may   
even let you strike the killing blow. Isn't that nice?"  
  
"Yes, master. May I leave, please?"  
  
Yes. Go. Get out of my sight, Cain. I can't stand the sight of you, get away from me, I   
don't want you here, there's something wrong, I can't tell what it is, please don't make   
me think about it… what are you doing to me Cain you're confusing me I'm Master   
Golbez I can't think like this…  
  
"I suppose so," I said finally. "Get yourself a meal too, if you like. You're probably   
hungry since I haven't given you meal time for the past couple of days."  
  
His stomach growled audibly. "Uh… yeah, I am feeling a bit peckish. I'll just go get   
something then." He walked away to the invisible food storage. I kept it invisible for a   
good reason. He reached in and pulled out some sort of thing—I think it was a   
sandwich—and took a bite. "May I leave, sir?"  
  
"Yes. Go."  
  
Cain left. I slumped down against the wall. I felt sick, and I didn't even know why. It was   
too late in the game to get drunk, so all I could do was beat my head against the wall. No,   
I couldn't do that. Cain would see. And hear. He'd know something was wrong, and he'd   
want to know what. He'd get suspicious.  
  
But how I longed for a bit of booze… no. Nonononono. Can't think like that can't get   
drunk can't take that risk it could put the whole operation at risk I'm getting sick I can't   
take it any more…  
  
"Master Golbez? Are you feeling all right?" Cain was still here. Why wouldn't he go   
away?  
  
"I'm fine. Just a little dizzy. I think it must be all of the alcohol I've consumed lately, I   
think it's finally catching up to me with all of the leftover hangovers I never had. Don't   
worry about me, go on your way…"  
  
"If you're not feeling well, I have to stay with you, Master Golbez. It's my job to serve   
and protect you if I have to. Please don't be angry, but this is what I've been drafted to do   
and I intend to do it."  
  
"Leave me, Cain."  
  
"I can't do that sir."  
  
"Go." I glared at him. "Don't make me tell you again."  
  
"Yessir." He began to walk away. Towards that place where we kept the girl Rosa.  
  
"Get her to work for us and I may even give you a vacation," I sneered.  
  
"I don't think that's going to happen," he said bitterly.  
  
"You just may be right." I sighed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I told him.   
  
And he was gone.  
  
  
  
the water demon responded crisply.  
  
  
  
Cagnazzo seemed shocked.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I cut the connection.   
  
Cain was in the other room. I could hear him talking.  
  
"I could get you out of here, Rosa, if you'd let me."  
  
"I don't like what you've become, Cain. You're nothing but a slave to Golbez. I won't   
help you or do anything that you want. Leave me alone."  
  
"I can take what I want from you, Rosa. Golbez isn't going to stop me. He won't even   
care. Nobody will know. I could kill you, and it wouldn't matter. You're pointless, Rosa.   
Useless. Pathetic. I can do what I like, it doesn't matter…"  
  
"Leave me alone, Cain!"  
  
"Leave her, Cain." Rubicant. Rubicant was here, in the tower, without being summoned,   
and speaking to Cain.  
  
I stood outside the room, slumped against the door, listening with a bit of amusement. No   
need for booze anymore, this was more interesting than being drunk.  
  
"Why are you ordering me around like this? You're just a demon, I'm not going to listen   
to you." Cain was angry now. He turned away from Rosa to glare at Rubicant. "Get out   
of here. You're such an ass sometimes."  
  
"Is that all you can call me? She's helpless, Cain. Can't you see that? Don't you care? Of   
course not… honor doesn't mean anything to you, does it?" he sighed. "Never strike at a   
helpless victim. Never. If you do, I swear that I'll kill you."  
  
"You? Kill me?"  
  
"Easily. I'm an elemental demon, Cain, but you're a soft, pathetic little human. You are   
all weak. It's the way of humanity. They have some worth, but they are weak. Take this   
Rosa here… she's a pretty girl, sure enough, and you're human as well…"  
  
"I love her," Cain snapped.  
  
"No you don't." Rubicant glared at him. "You're missing my point entirely. If you loved   
her you wouldn't be doing… this." He gestured toward the two of them—and Cain's   
half-removed armor—disgustedly. "Get out of here. If you're that desparate, I'm sure   
Barbaricia would be happy to oblige you."  
  
"Barbaricia?"  
  
"Yes…" Rubicant murmured. "After all… you're both creatures of the sky. Talk to her.   
She may be growing tired of me… I can't say I'd blame her for that. but get out of here…   
the man Cecil won't want her back if you've destroyed the woman he knows and loves—  
or so he thinks." He turned and left.  
  
He also happened to walk past me. "What brings you here, Emporere of Fire?"  
  
"Your minion is acting irresponsibly."  
  
"Very well." I nodded nonchalantly and pulled a bottle of whiskey from a compartment   
hidden in my armor. "Care to join me in a drink, Rubicant?"  
  
Rubicant produced a glass from under his cloak. "Don't mind if I do."  
  
I poured him a glassful and took a swig from the bottle. "To life and conquest."  
  
He smiled at me in a bitter sort of way. "To Master Zemus."  
  
"Indeed." I knocked my bottle clumsily against his glass and downed the contents. "I   
hope this doesn't mean that we're going to be caught drunk and unawares by any…   
hereos."  
  
"I hope so too…" he murmured. "But right now I think I just need a sleeping pill and a   
nap." 


	5. Hellrider

Cagnazzo was talking to me yet again. He really had a talent for bad timing.  
  
  
  
  
  
I trailed off, the string of curses I'd wanted to throw dying on my tongue, so to speak. Or, they would have done if I'd been actually speaking.  
  
If he'd been anything but the water-elemental turtle-demon-thing that he so clearly and painfully was, I could have sworn that he was trying not to cry.  
  
I said wearily.   
  
He was gone, and not just with a cut connection. His lifeforce was gone and he was dead. They'd killed him, these pathetic little humans. They were a serious threat. I'd have to do away with them as soon as possible.  
  
"Cain."  
  
He sprinted into the room, his armor clanking. "You called, Master Golbez?"  
  
"Yes… he even defeated Cagnazzo. He's much stronger…"  
  
"Er…" he looked at me nervously. "acout the last crystal, Master…"  
  
"It'll be difficult to get it from where it is now."  
  
"We could always send Cecil to get it for us," he suggested.   
  
"I don't follow you," I said icily.  
  
"He can get the crystal for us, and bring it here in exchange for Rosa."  
  
"Hmm… I suppose you're right. We can always kill him when he gets here. Very clever of you, Cain. There may be hope for you yet."  
  
"Thank you, Master. I'll go relay the message to him."  
  
"Cain…" Rosa whispered as he strode toward the door.  
  
He turned and glared at her. "You still think Cecil's a better man than me, Rosa?"  
  
I got into the airship that Cain was in to listen in on what he had to say. We flew to them quickly, flying a white flag, and they accepted the bridge we put between the ship.  
  
"Cain!" Cecil gasped.  
  
"Hey Cecil," Cain sneered. "You're still alive, eh?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing? What do you want?" Cecil looked taken aback to be addressed by his old friend in such a way, as if he thought that the old Cain was still alive. "Rosa had better still be alive… is she all right?"  
  
"Oh?" Cain sneered. "Concerned about your little whore, are you? I assure you, she's perfectly safe… for now. But if you ever want to see her alive again… you'll have to trader her to us in exchange for the earth crystal from Toroia."  
  
"Why should I help you do what you're doing, Cain?"  
  
"Because that's the only way you'll ever see Rosa alive again."  
  
"You coward!" the old man on the airship snarled. "How can you do this?"  
  
Cecil looked at me, defeat in his eyes. "You aren't really giving me a choice, are you?"  
  
"I gave you your choice."  
  
"That's no choice at all, Cain, and you know it."  
  
"That's your loss, Cecil. Not mine. I couldn't care less." He laughed bitterly, and gestured curtly to the pilot of the airship.   
  
"How can you say that?" Cecil looked thoroughly affronted. "I thought we were friends, Cain. How could you betray all of us like this, our cause… you yourself said that you couldn't disgrace your name as a Dragon Knight and do all of the horrible things the fake King wanted. What happened to you, Cain?" his deep blue eyes filled with tears.  
  
"You think you can call yourself a real man, crying like that Cecil?" Cain spat on the bridge between the two airships. "I opened my eyes a little wider, so I could get a look at the big picture. I'm on the winning side now, Cecil. You're going to die, Cecil. And if you don't show up with that crystal, your precious Rosa's going to die, too."  
  
"What's wrong with you, Cain!" Cecil was afraid now, he couldn't even bluff it away.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with me," Cain cackled. He threw back his head and let loose a great, horrible, twisted laugh. It was like music to my ears. "Nothing wrong with me."  
  
"You fucking bastard!" the monk cried.  
  
We zoomed away, Cain still laughing.  
  
"Dear me, Cain," I murmured, amused. "I do believe you convinced him. You could be such an actor-man. He thinks we'll give him the little whore alive."  
  
"You could have let me use her then if that was our intent. Can't we just kill her and get it over with now before it's too late?"  
  
"No, Cain, as I've told you numerous times. We can't do that, if he finds out we've killed her he'll go into a fucking holy rage about the whole thing. He'll muster the strength and find a way to kick the living shit out of us."  
  
"I've never heard you quite that profane before, Master."  
  
"Well I'm fucking pissed."  
  
"It really doesn't become you. You should stop."  
  
I sighed. "You know Cain, for once in your pathetic life you're right. It's a bad habit and I should give it up, just like the booze, because it's stupid, wasteful, pointless and unbecoming. Right? Should I make you my personal counselor now?"  
  
"I didn't mean it like that, Master."  
  
"Of course you didn't," I crooned. "You never meant any harm. You never meant to betray your friends and family. You never meant to leave deep scars on the whore Rosa despite not defiling her body. And you never meant to anger me. But you did all of those things, Cain. You can't change what you've done. It's in the past and it's unshakable."  
  
"I'm sorry, Master. I know there's nothing I can do to change it but I'm so sorry I shouldn't have done it and I'm such a fucking idiot…"  
  
"You're absolutely right. You feel guilty, don't you Cain? I know you do, you don't even need to admit it. You feel guilty, like you aren't a proper man for it, eh? Of course not… you're a stupid little boy who never grew up. Never never." I chuckled. This was kind of fun.  
  
"I know I know I deserve it Master Golbez I know I do it's all my fault whatever you do to me I deserve it…"  
  
"That's right. At least you admit it." I smirked. "I should just give you up to Barbaricia. She'd enjoy you more than I would."  
  
"B-Barbaricia?" he began to sweat. "I have no interest in her badly placed lust for me."  
  
We were back at the tower, and left the airship to return to our rooms. "Maybe so, but she's far more powerful than you… I respect that in her… maybe I will do that."  
  
"Badly placed lust? Is that all he has to say?" Barbaricia was waiting for us, lying languidly on his bed. She turned to stare at Cain. "You're so stuck-up. I thought being in Master Golbez's service would have helped you loosen up a little." She winked. "I suppose I could help you if you'd let me…"  
  
"No! Why me?"  
  
I sighed. "Cain, the woman lusts after every halfway-decent looking man she sees."  
  
She pouted. "But he's very handsome."  
  
I smirked. "So is Rubicant."  
  
"But I've known him for so long… he never has any new ideas." She pouted even more. "Let me have the Dragon Knight… please? I'll leave you be after that."  
  
I sighed. "Maybe, maybe… leave, Cain. I'll decide what to do with you later."  
  
Cain dashed out of the room, his eyes ever leaving Barbaricia and myself.  
  
"Tell me something, Barbaricia…" I said calmly. "I've been meaning to ask you for quite some time, but it never seemed the right time to ask you. I've been thinking."  
  
"Of me?"  
  
"Of course not, stupid woman. Him. But I still don't know what the fuck it is that I'm feeling. That's what I want you to tell me."  
  
"Master Golbez doesn't know something?" her face lost its pout and twisted into a smirk. "How is that possible?"  
  
"Oh, shut up," I snarled. "Are you going to tell me or not?"  
  
"Tell you what?" she said lightly, clearly enjoying herself.  
  
"What the fuck I'm feeling!" I shouted. "Don't you dare make fun of me Barbaricia, I'm more than capable of killing you and you know that."  
  
She ignored my threat and smirked widely at me. "I think you already know what you're feeling, Golbez."  
  
"I don't know what I'm feeling. I don't know what feelings are. I'm not supposed to feel things I don't understand. You're the Empress of the wind, and relatively intellingent. I'd think that you'd understand my predicament."  
  
"You know what you're feeling. You just won't admit it just yet."  
  
"Spell it out for me, Barbaricia."  
  
"Desire?" she took one look at the way I tensed when she said that and took a step back. "You know I'm right. You don't have to admit it."  
  
"That's not what I'm feeling, and you know it."  
  
"You are."  
  
"I am not. Don't lie to me."  
  
"You don't have to admit it if you aren't man enough."  
  
"That is enough!" I lashed out at her. She leapt back with surprising agility.  
  
"I suppose I should leave now, before you do something you regret." She winked. "Besides, the two of you could use some time without me… handsome as he is."  
  
"Barbaricia."  
  
"All right, all right. I'm leaving. But don't say I didn't warn you…" she left. I glared at her retreating back.  
  
My mind still turned to Cain. I couldn't get him out of my head. Maybe the wind-whore was right, after all. Suppose I did… no, I wasn't going to. Emotion could lead to all sorts of complications. Still… he wouldn't remember a thing. "Cain!"  
  
He was there in a instant. "You called, Master Golbez?"  
  
"That's obvious," I snapped. "Follow me."  
  
He did, not questioning me at all, not thinking, not even bothering to speculate or ask about what was happening. He stood there, after I stopped, his heavy armor seeming to have no effect on his posture whatsoever, or anything of the sort. A warrior carved out of a block of iron. So much like me.  
  
I reached for the strap that held his breastplate on. "Do you ever feel anything, Cain?"  
  
"Not anymore, Master Golbez. I don't have room for emotion or anything of the sort. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Ah, well…" I smirked. "I suppose it may bery well be a good thing that you don't feel… it'll make you so much easier to keep around. You see, if you got attached to me, I dare say I'd have to kill you."  
  
"I hope that never happens, Master Golbez."  
  
"I do too, Cain." I unbuckled the strap and the heavy burnished iron fell to the floor. 


	6. Blood

*YAOI WARNING* If you don't like yaoi, for whatever reason, don't read this chapter. Just skip right over it. Go to the next one. You won't miss any plot I promise. For the sakes of those who don't like yaoi, I've written this chapter to only be the Golbez x Cain "love" scene, so that you can still read the story without reading this chapter and hating the fic.  
  
It's not too explicit though, so if you're looking for some really hardcore stuff I suggest you look elsewhere. This is just… well, you'll see. Blood fetish, I guess. Not even sex, just violence. It's bad. And I'm rambling. Just read it, or skip ahead.  
  
  
~  
  
  
There was a crash as the breastplate hit the floor. Cain simply stood there, like a statue. "Is there something I can do for you, Master Golbez?"  
  
"Yes. Take off that goddamned helmet."  
  
He did, revealing his chiseled features and long, thick mane of blonde hair. I smiled at him, which must have frightened him because the helmet slipped from his hands and crashed to the floor, joining the breastplate. His legs shook ever so slightly as he took a step back, staring at the floor, afraid to look me in the face.  
  
"You're afraid of me, Cain. You said you didn't feel anything anymore, and yet you're afraid." He was really shaking now, and I relished his fear. "You lied to me, Cain, and I don't like being lied to." My smile widened, revealing my teeth for him to see. I ran my tongue over them; sharp white teeth, some people might consider them animal teeth.  
  
I took a step toward him. He stepped back. "Are you afraid of me, Cain?"  
  
He nodded, a barely discernible movement. "I thought so. You're afraid of me, Cain, because everyone's afraid of me. But also because you know me better than a great many people do. Don't you feel privileged?"  
  
A nod, once again barely there. I closed the gap between us with a few quick strides, and put a hand on his shoulder in an almost fatherly way. "You should be happy to be alive, Cain. Rubicant is the only minion of mine to live longer than you in service to me. But that could always change."  
  
He was trembling visibly now. My smile widened and my lips curled back. I leaned down and bit Cain's neck, not hard, but enough to draw blood. His eyes widened and the color drained from his face. I laughed, and stared down at the bright red blood beading around the cut. My tongue darted out of my mouth and licked them up.  
  
I could feel his pulse beating against the cut. I must have come close to an artery or something, but it made no difference. More blood beaded up around the cut, shining, bright, ruby-red. I licked that up as well, feeling the iron tang of the blood roll across my tongue before I swallowed it.  
  
His knees gave out and he fell. I kneeled by him, fixated with this cut on his neck. The blood flow began to ease up. I bit him again, sinking my teeth deeper and deeper into his neck. Tears welled up in Cain's eyes, I could see them. He was afraid. He was angry… if he dared to be so.  
  
I gripped his shirt in my hands and tore it off him, revealing the well-sculpted muscles of a Dragon Knight. My teeth left his neck, which had stopped bleeding again and sank into his shoulder. More blood. Sweet, sweet blood… his skin gave way easily beneath my sharp teeth and blood spilled into my mouth. I didn't care if it would make me sick later or anything. I loved the taste of the knight's blood as it rolled off my tongue and down my throat.  
  
My teeth struck the tendons of Cain's shoulder and he cried out again. I backed off a bit, surveying the damage. Deep gashes covered his neck and now there was this one on his shoulder too.  
  
Blood. More blood. My teeth slashed across his chest, leaving more gashes. Blood spilled across what was left of his skin, gettingon my face, matting my hair. I wiped a few drops of blood out of my eyes. It stung, badly. But I didn't really notice, I was too caught up in this, like a little boy who'd just found some new… no, that's a terrible analogy to make.  
  
Cain was going numb. His body shook violently but he wasn't really moving very much any more. I reached into his trousers and sank my clawlike fingernails into the flesh of his groin. My tongue traced the length of his member. I couldn't stop. For the first time in my not too long life, I was hurting someone, wanted to stop, but couldn't. My teeth bit down.  
  
His screams shook the tower to its foundations. They jolted me out of my trance, and I saw for the first time just what I'd done to Cain. He lay, bleeding and thrashing about, on the floor, no longer screaming. He'd screamed his throat raw and I mostly hadn't heard him. Damn it, this was bad even by my standards. What the hell was wrong with me here?  
  
"Healer!" I shouted, realizing that I didn't want Cain to die. "I need a healer! Now!"  
  
The healer came, but not fast enough for my liking. As soon as Cain was stable, I tore the man's throat out, for in a way he'd failed me. But at least Cain was alive…  
*YAOI WARNING* If you don't like yaoi, for whatever reason, don't read this chapter. Just skip right over it. Go to the next one. You won't miss any plot I promise. For the sakes of those who don't like yaoi, I've written this chapter to only be the Golbez x Cain "love" scene, so that you can still read the story without reading this chapter and hating the fic.  
  
It's not too explicit though, so if you're looking for some really hardcore stuff I suggest you look elsewhere. This is just… well, you'll see. Blood fetish, I guess. Not even sex, just violence. It's bad. And I'm rambling. Just read it, or skip ahead.  
  
  
~  
  
  
There was a crash as the breastplate hit the floor. Cain simply stood there, like a statue. "Is there something I can do for you, Master Golbez?"  
  
"Yes. Take off that goddamned helmet."  
  
He did, revealing his chiseled features and long, thick mane of blonde hair. I smiled at him, which must have frightened him because the helmet slipped from his hands and crashed to the floor, joining the breastplate. His legs shook ever so slightly as he took a step back, staring at the floor, afraid to look me in the face.  
  
"You're afraid of me, Cain. You said you didn't feel anything anymore, and yet you're afraid." He was really shaking now, and I relished his fear. "You lied to me, Cain, and I don't like being lied to." My smile widened, revealing my teeth for him to see. I ran my tongue over them; sharp white teeth, some people might consider them animal teeth.  
  
I took a step toward him. He stepped back. "Are you afraid of me, Cain?"  
  
He nodded, a barely discernible movement. "I thought so. You're afraid of me, Cain, because everyone's afraid of me. But also because you know me better than a great many people do. Don't you feel privileged?"  
  
A nod, once again barely there. I closed the gap between us with a few quick strides, and put a hand on his shoulder in an almost fatherly way. "You should be happy to be alive, Cain. Rubicant is the only minion of mine to live longer than you in service to me. But that could always change."  
  
He was trembling visibly now. My smile widened and my lips curled back. I leaned down and bit Cain's neck, not hard, but enough to draw blood. His eyes widened and the color drained from his face. I laughed, and stared down at the bright red blood beading around the cut. My tongue darted out of my mouth and licked them up.  
  
I could feel his pulse beating against the cut. I must have come close to an artery or something, but it made no difference. More blood beaded up around the cut, shining, bright, ruby-red. I licked that up as well, feeling the iron tang of the blood roll across my tongue before I swallowed it.  
  
His knees gave out and he fell. I kneeled by him, fixated with this cut on his neck. The blood flow began to ease up. I bit him again, sinking my teeth deeper and deeper into his neck. Tears welled up in Cain's eyes, I could see them. He was afraid. He was angry… if he dared to be so.  
  
I gripped his shirt in my hands and tore it off him, revealing the well-sculpted muscles of a Dragon Knight. My teeth left his neck, which had stopped bleeding again and sank into his shoulder. More blood. Sweet, sweet blood… his skin gave way easily beneath my sharp teeth and blood spilled into my mouth. I didn't care if it would make me sick later or anything. I loved the taste of the knight's blood as it rolled off my tongue and down my throat.  
  
My teeth struck the tendons of Cain's shoulder and he cried out again. I backed off a bit, surveying the damage. Deep gashes covered his neck and now there was this one on his shoulder too.  
  
Blood. More blood. My teeth slashed across his chest, leaving more gashes. Blood spilled across what was left of his skin, gettingon my face, matting my hair. I wiped a few drops of blood out of my eyes. It stung, badly. But I didn't really notice, I was too caught up in this, like a little boy who'd just found some new… no, that's a terrible analogy to make.  
  
Cain was going numb. His body shook violently but he wasn't really moving very much any more. I reached into his trousers and sank my clawlike fingernails into the flesh of his groin. My tongue traced the length of his member. I couldn't stop. For the first time in my not too long life, I was hurting someone, wanted to stop, but couldn't. My teeth bit down.  
  
His screams shook the tower to its foundations. They jolted me out of my trance, and I saw for the first time just what I'd done to Cain. He lay, bleeding and thrashing about, on the floor, no longer screaming. He'd screamed his throat raw and I mostly hadn't heard him. Damn it, this was bad even by my standards. What the hell was wrong with me here?  
  
"Healer!" I shouted, realizing that I didn't want Cain to die. "I need a healer! Now!"  
  
The healer came, but not fast enough for my liking. As soon as Cain was stable, I tore the man's throat out, for in a way he'd failed me. But at least Cain was alive…  
*YAOI WARNING* If you don't like yaoi, for whatever reason, don't read this chapter. Just skip right over it. Go to the next one. You won't miss any plot I promise. For the sakes of those who don't like yaoi, I've written this chapter to only be the Golbez x Cain "love" scene, so that you can still read the story without reading this chapter and hating the fic.  
  
It's not too explicit though, so if you're looking for some really hardcore stuff I suggest you look elsewhere. This is just… well, you'll see. Blood fetish, I guess. Not even sex, just violence. It's bad. And I'm rambling. Just read it, or skip ahead.  
  
  
~  
  
  
There was a crash as the breastplate hit the floor. Cain simply stood there, like a statue. "Is there something I can do for you, Master Golbez?"  
  
"Yes. Take off that goddamned helmet."  
  
He did, revealing his chiseled features and long, thick mane of blonde hair. I smiled at him, which must have frightened him because the helmet slipped from his hands and crashed to the floor, joining the breastplate. His legs shook ever so slightly as he took a step back, staring at the floor, afraid to look me in the face.  
  
"You're afraid of me, Cain. You said you didn't feel anything anymore, and yet you're afraid." He was really shaking now, and I relished his fear. "You lied to me, Cain, and I don't like being lied to." My smile widened, revealing my teeth for him to see. I ran my tongue over them; sharp white teeth, some people might consider them animal teeth.  
  
I took a step toward him. He stepped back. "Are you afraid of me, Cain?"  
  
He nodded, a barely discernible movement. "I thought so. You're afraid of me, Cain, because everyone's afraid of me. But also because you know me better than a great many people do. Don't you feel privileged?"  
  
A nod, once again barely there. I closed the gap between us with a few quick strides, and put a hand on his shoulder in an almost fatherly way. "You should be happy to be alive, Cain. Rubicant is the only minion of mine to live longer than you in service to me. But that could always change."  
  
He was trembling visibly now. My smile widened and my lips curled back. I leaned down and bit Cain's neck, not hard, but enough to draw blood. His eyes widened and the color drained from his face. I laughed, and stared down at the bright red blood beading around the cut. My tongue darted out of my mouth and licked them up.  
  
I could feel his pulse beating against the cut. I must have come close to an artery or something, but it made no difference. More blood beaded up around the cut, shining, bright, ruby-red. I licked that up as well, feeling the iron tang of the blood roll across my tongue before I swallowed it.  
  
His knees gave out and he fell. I kneeled by him, fixated with this cut on his neck. The blood flow began to ease up. I bit him again, sinking my teeth deeper and deeper into his neck. Tears welled up in Cain's eyes, I could see them. He was afraid. He was angry… if he dared to be so.  
  
I gripped his shirt in my hands and tore it off him, revealing the well-sculpted muscles of a Dragon Knight. My teeth left his neck, which had stopped bleeding again and sank into his shoulder. More blood. Sweet, sweet blood… his skin gave way easily beneath my sharp teeth and blood spilled into my mouth. I didn't care if it would make me sick later or anything. I loved the taste of the knight's blood as it rolled off my tongue and down my throat.  
  
My teeth struck the tendons of Cain's shoulder and he cried out again. I backed off a bit, surveying the damage. Deep gashes covered his neck and now there was this one on his shoulder too.  
  
Blood. More blood. My teeth slashed across his chest, leaving more gashes. Blood spilled across what was left of his skin, gettingon my face, matting my hair. I wiped a few drops of blood out of my eyes. It stung, badly. But I didn't really notice, I was too caught up in this, like a little boy who'd just found some new… no, that's a terrible analogy to make.  
  
Cain was going numb. His body shook violently but he wasn't really moving very much any more. I reached into his trousers and sank my clawlike fingernails into the flesh of his groin. My tongue traced the length of his member. I couldn't stop. For the first time in my not too long life, I was hurting someone, wanted to stop, but couldn't. My teeth bit down.  
  
His screams shook the tower to its foundations. They jolted me out of my trance, and I saw for the first time just what I'd done to Cain. He lay, bleeding and thrashing about, on the floor, no longer screaming. He'd screamed his throat raw and I mostly hadn't heard him. Damn it, this was bad even by my standards. What the hell was wrong with me here?  
  
"Healer!" I shouted, realizing that I didn't want Cain to die. "I need a healer! Now!"  
  
The healer came, but not fast enough for my liking. As soon as Cain was stable, I tore the man's throat out, for in a way he'd failed me. But at least Cain was alive… 


	7. They Are Soldiers

"They've found the Crystal, Cain." I leaned against the wall, slightly amused. "Go and get it from them… or at least, show them where to find us."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
He left, boarded the airship, and pulled Cecil toward the tower. I felt the presence of the man as soon as he entered the place.   
  
"So you have the crystal," Cain addressed them through the PA system in the tower.  
  
"Where's Rosa?" of course, the first thing that came to the man's mind.  
  
"Don't be in such a rush," Cain murmured. "Lord Golbeze wants to thank you personally." He laughed.  
  
"Golbez!" the old man Tella spat. "That old bastard!"  
  
"Well, well, well," I chuckled, coming on to the system. "You have the crystal. I'm so proud of all of you."  
  
"Show your face to us, you coward!" Tella shouted.  
  
"My, my, how anxious you all are…" I laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound, evento my ears. "You'll see me soon enough."  
  
"Where are you?" Cecil snarled.  
  
"I'm on the top floor… with your precious Rosa. In gratitude for your saving me the trouble of invading Toroia, I'll give you the girl back."  
  
"You bastard!" Cecil snarled.  
  
"Yes, I believe we've covered that already. And, of course, being the downright horrible, rotten to the core bastard that I am… I can't guarantee that dear little Rosa will survive to see you if you keep me waiting too long."  
  
I sat back in the makeshift throne Cain had built for me and waited for them to arrive. As they reached the fifth floor, standing on the threshold of my room, I called out the three Magus Sisters with a smirk. "Come to me, Dog, Mag, Rag… destroy the intruders." They were there and gone in a moment's time.  
  
I listened to the battle, pleased with the perplexed shouts of Cecil and his followers as the Magus Sisters' Reraise spell was cast again and again, brining them back… from the dead. Or so it seemed. But all too soon the cries of terror became triumph as the last of my Magus Sisters fell and drowned in a pool of her own blood. They crossed the threshold and stood before me, tired, shaken and angry. I approached them, chuckling.  
  
"Well done, gentlemen. You've made it to the top. Aren't you proud of yourselves?"  
  
"Golbez!" Tella spat, shaking with fury.  
  
I clicked my tongue. "Business before pleasure, gentlemen. The crystal, if you please."  
  
"Where's Rosa?" Cecil nearly shouted. "She'd better be all right!"  
  
"Like I said…" I told him icily. "The crystal first. I wouldn't harm my bargaining chip Cecil, I may be a cruel man but I'm not a stupid one."  
  
"All right." He looked as though he'd rather fling himself off a cliff than hand the crystal over to me. He was so stupid to fall in love, an intelligent man would have sacrificed the girl and kept the crystal. Cecil was clearly not an intelligent man, or at best an overly-emotional one. "Here it is."  
  
He handed me the crystal. I stroked it affectionately with my gloved hands.  
  
"Now. Give me Rosa."  
  
"Rosa…?" I chuckled almost inaudibly. "Who's Rosa? I don't know any Rosa. Do you know of this woman he speaks of, Cain?"  
  
"No," Cain said obstinately.  
  
"You!" Cecil spat. "You filthy liar!"  
  
"How low can a man go?" Tella hissed. "Death is too good for you, but it's all I can give!" he lunged at me.  
  
"I have no business with you, old fool."  
  
"But I have some for you!" he snarled. "For Anna! I will show you Anna's pain!"  
  
He lunged, and began to cast spells. Bio… Fire 3…  
  
"Your old body isn't strong enough to defeat me…" I told him, chuckling.  
  
Bolt 3. Ice 3. Did the man never give up?  
  
"It's time…" he gasped, "To call upon the Meteo…"  
  
"Don't!" Cecil cried. "The strain will kill you!"  
  
"Then it must… my life… for this power… I will defeat you, Golbez! For Anna!" he chanted words under his breath. A second later, meteors were flying out of the sky, right at me. Pain blinded me as they struck my armor.  
  
"Me… meteo?" I whispered. "It can't be… but it is." I collapsed, and the old man did too. "You… old bastard… cast Meteo… you thought you could destroy me… but I'm alive. And I have the crystal. Come, Cain. Let's draw back for now."  
  
Cain did not respond. I blinked. "Cain?" still nothing. "So my control's been broken by Meteo. Oh well. You were a sorry excuse for a minion anyway." I began to walk away.  
  
"You're not going anywhere, Golbez!" Cecil snarled.  
  
"Quite the contrary…" I murmured, beginning to regain my composture. "I most certainly am." I flung a spell at him, which cast him to the floor. It didn't kill him. It should have. "Eh? What's that?"  
  
"Why don't you… finish me off…?" he gasped.  
  
I glared at him. "What… what the hell are you?" a wave of pain struck me. "Aack! My head!" I reached under my helmet and rubbed my temples. "What have you done to me, you bastard? I'll warn you fairly… this fight isn't over!" I stalked out the door.  
  
After a bit of a break and a glass of vodka to clear my mind, I snuck into the castle of King Jiott in the underworld and stole his daughter's dolls. I felt like a fool doing it, but it needed to be done. Using the dark magic that Master Zemus himself had taught me, I enchanted them to do my bidding… and kill the warriors who opposed me.  
  
However unfortunately, they failed. They stood, gasping and sweating from the fight when I appeared, black armor glistening, on the pedestal just below the crystal. "Surprise." I laughed. "I'm not dead. But I should really thank you for the other day." They looked dumbstruck. "How could you possibly know that I love having metoers dropped on my head?"  
  
I lost my humor quickly. "But the old bastard who can cast Meteo is dead. And now I'm going to send you to join him. But before I do, would you be so kind as to humor me and listen to why I'm gathering the crystals?" they said nothing, and I continued. "It's said that if the eight crystals are gathered, a pathway to the moon will be opened, and with it will come unlimited power. Can you imagine it? Me, a god. I do so love the idea." I laughed, bitterly. "It's a pity that you won't be around to witness my climb to glory, but… such is life."  
  
They began to attack me, but the few attacks that even connected with me rebounded off of my armor. "Is that the best you can do?" I kept laughing. "Why don't you stay here for a bit?" I cast a quick cursed aura spell on them, paralyzing them.  
  
"Come to me, my Black Dragon," I murmured. Shadow appeared, his red eyes gleaming. "Kill them, Shadow. Kill them all."  
  
Shadow laughed, a strange laugh that only I could understand. His Black Fang attack tore out and into the karate monk's body. He collapsed, badly wounded and unconscious. The girl Rosa was next, so precious to Cecil… Cain had leapt into the air, out of my reach. I couldn't get him. Fool. I'd make him pay for betraying me.  
  
Suddenly, a spray of mist struck Shadow, killing him. What was left of it struck my armor, burning like acid. "Sh-shadow!" I snarled. "The mist dragon killed Shadow! You'll pay for this!" the mist dragon disappeared, and a tall, thin, green-haired woman dashed forward to join Cecil. An Esuna spell appeared out of nowhere and healed the paralysis of those who were still conscious. Meaning Cecil.  
  
Cain landed on me, his spear passing through a chink in my armor and driving deep into my side. I didn't show my pain, but blood, trickled down my side. Cecil lashed out with his sword. It rebounded off my armor but the pain of the echo stung my ears.  
  
And then, the phantom man Ifrit appeared before me, flames dancing around his head. They heated my armor, and it scalded my skin. I grit my teeth to keep from screaming. It hurt! I found myself wishing for the hip flask in my armor, but I didn't dare touch it, as it might explode from the head.  
  
Cecil's sword slid between the plates of my armor, into my ribs. Cain launched himself into the air and landed on me, burying his spear in the back of my neck. The green-haired girl murmured some words and cast Bio on me. It hurt so much more than the old man's spell had… I felt my armor, then my body, begin to dissolve.  
  
They stood over me, as I lay there, nearly dead, grinning in triumph. "We've done it! We've defeated Golbez!"  
  
They crowd around the girl. "All because of you!"  
  
"You've changed so much…"  
  
I can't hear all of what they're saying. I don't even want to hear it, the pain is so great. I focus all of my energy into a transformation that I learned from Master Zemus, and turned my body into a great floating hand. "I… do… not… PERISH."  
  
They turned, incredulous to see me as I floated on to the crystal's dais, seized it and teleported out of the room. Back to my palace of crystal… to heal, and to gather the strength to bring Cain back to me. 


	8. A Place for the Living Dead

I awoke some time later, surrounded by empty bottles, and faced with a new suit of gleaming black armor. I had no recollection of anything. From the appearance of the room, and the way my head was pounding, I suspected it was pretty safe to say that my drinking was out of control. I was hooked on the booze even more than I was hooked on power, cruelty, and the gods alone know what else.  
  
"Master Golbez? Are you awake, after, such a long nap?" Rubicant stood over me, arms folded, gaze disapproving. "Since you were hardly in any condition to do it yourself, I took the liberty of having a new suit of armor made for you. Your old one was… I suppose destroyed is the best word for it."  
  
"Thank you." I sat up, wincing as my knotted muscles stretched out for the first time in what must have been days. "Have you… been keeping track of the paladin and his allies, and what they are up to?"  
  
"I have, Master Golbez. They have been stranded in the overworld, and are attmepting to climb down the tower of Bab-il. I have a sneaking suspicion that they will succeed, and return the the World of Shadow soon."  
  
"I have a sneaking suspicion that you're right." I coughed, turned my head and vomited on to the crystal floor. "Damn hangover. I suppose I should sober up and show up just as they're leaving, to give them a little scare."  
  
"Good idea, Master. They'll be trying to get their hands on the last crystal soon, the one that's sealed in that cave."  
  
"Excellent. I will use the opportunity to get the crystal, and bring Cain back to me. Two birds with one stone, as those humans would say."  
  
"Are you sure that bringing Cain back into the service is a good idea, Master? He left us once, and may very well do so again."  
  
I turned my angry, bloodshot gaze on to Rubicant's face. "Are you questioning my judgement, Emporer of Fire?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
The next couple of days whizzed by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was hiding in the tower of Bab-il, just as the Paladin Cecil and his allies were about to leave. Where had the time gone? I didn't know, not anymore.  
  
"You all have greatly amused me," I murmured, putting a slight malicious chuckle into my voice. "Amused me very much indeed."  
  
"Golbez!" Cecil spat.  
  
I laughed. "With all the breath you've wasted saying my name, it's anybody's guess why not everyone in the world knows who I am. But this is just all for play. Farewell, young ones!" I then proceeded to set fire to the bridge, and it began to burn out as they scrambled for the ground ahead of them.  
  
They never made it, and indeed, they were flung into the basements of the tower. "Go kill them, Rubicant," I told the man standing next to me, somehow resplendent in his red cloak. "Kill them all. They bore me."  
  
"As you so desire, Master." The last of my Emporers left me, but even as he did I had the sinking feeling that his fate would be the same as those of his colleagues.  
  
Indeed, so it was to be. Rubicant, with his twisted but existent sense of honor, and he insisted on casting his healing spells on Cecil and his allies before fighting them. They were a bedraggled lot at the time, and there would have been little success to be counted for defeating them, but Rubicant would have made short work of them given the circumstances. But no. He, with his honor, insisted on casting healing spells, so that a victory would be a true victory, not some half-assed job of crushing weak little things.  
  
Of course, being who they were, they took advantage of the opportunity, and much as I hated to admit it, rose to the challenge of fighting Rubicant very well. They killed him. They killed my last Emporer, my last remaning officer. I felt some slight stirring in my chest that might have been loss had I allowed it to grow, but I didn't. being who I was, I stifled what little bit of feeling I felt.  
  
I lay back on my bed, that had gone through so much with me, the floor, so recently cleaned, and a fresh bottle of vodka. I bit off the top of the bottle, chewed it and swallowed. The glass cut my throat as it went down, and sat like a rock in my stomach. My throat felt like it was burning as I sloshed the vodka down my throat. That was all the effect it had on me.  
  
I was becoming completely immune to the effects of alcohol. I drank another bottle, again eating the top, and another. And another. And another. I lost track of how many bottles of the stuff, almost pure alcohol, sloshed past my bleeding lips and tongue into my stomach. My throat burned, my stomach felt like the inside of it was covered with glass-it was, really-and blood dripped from my lips and tongue.  
  
I wiped the blood from my mouth off on a clean white sheet, and instantly red stains spread across the white fabric. My blood was just as red as everyone else's. Who was I really? I didn't know anymore. I just knew that I was an angry, bitter, murderous alcoholic with four dead officers and some sort of obsession with a dragon knight who wanted me dead.  
  
Cain. I missed him. I indulged myself in a little bit of emotion and admitted that I felt a bit empty now that he was gone. Damn that Barbaricia… if she hadn't talked me into letting Cain live, then I would have been able to avoid all of these emotional complications. As things were, I was stuck, and Barbaricia was dead, so there was no point in blaming her for anything.  
  
I felt tears well up in my eyes, eyes that I thought were permanently dry. I wiped them away angrily with the bloody sheet and slugged down two more bottles of vodka. I lurched to my feet, suddenly full of energy, then saw my vision go black. I do not recall ever hitting the floor, so I must have blacked out beforehand.  
  
"Master Golbez…" whispered a voice in my ear.  
  
"Lord Golbez…"  
  
"Master…"  
  
"Get up, damn it."  
  
I opened my eyes slowly and looked around. My Four Emporers were standing by me. "What… aren't you all dead?"  
  
"Of course we're dead." Scarmiglione snorted. He was wearing the undead form I had given him to use if Cecil managed to defeat his original one. "We're not even really here. We're hallucinations. You're imagining things, because you're in a drunken stupor, stupid guy, you really are-"  
  
"Shut up!" Cagnazzo sent a tide of water to lash Scarmiglione back against the wall. "Never address Master Golbez in such an insolent manner!"  
  
"No…" I said. "Let him be. He's right. I've turned into a drunk, pathetic human with you guys gone. If you hadn't gone and died, I'd still be glorious and powerful."  
  
"We apologize, Master Golbez. It will not…" Barbaricia trailed off.  
  
"A joke. It was supposed to be funny." I flopped back on to my bed. "I'm changing, my Emporers. I don't know how or why, but I'm not who or what I used to be. I'm not sure I like what's happening, but it is happening nonetheless and I must live with it."  
  
"You can bring us back to you, Master Golbez. By the blood of our master, and the blood of our enemy, we will live again." Rubicant had a look on his face that I could not identify in terms of emotion.  
  
"Easier said than done, Emporer of Fire."  
  
"Cain. He can bring us Cecil's blood. You want him back, do you not, Master Golbez? Have Cain bring it, and the Shadow Crystal of Earth at once. Two birds with one stone, as the humans would say."  
  
I sighed. "You remember everything I say, don't you?"  
  
"Indeed." Rubicant smiled, but there was no mirth in it. "Indeed I do. But it is not always a gift to have such a retentive memory, Master Golbez. Indeed, it can be a problem at times."  
  
"I wish I had your problem, Rubicant."  
  
"If you drank less, you would not have a poor memory."  
  
"I won't give up my booze, ever."  
  
"Sleep, Master." He pushed me gently back on to my bed. "Sleep, and bring back Cain in the morning." 


End file.
